WESTERN UNION TELEGRAM
Hon Leroy Collins. Governor
During the past few days a number of Negro citizens have been taken from their homes to the Tallahassee police department for questioning, among other things whether they plan to ride the city buses. As you may know, for a number of years, the Negro citizens of Tallahassee have been the most loyal bus riders. Last year they contributed more than 60 per cent to the bus company’s income. During 1955, the Negro citizens of Tallahassee spent over one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000.00) with the bus company, namely Cities Transit, Inc. for this generous contribution, they were not permitted to use the full facilities of the buses. On top of this there were many instances, when they received discourteous treatment. The Negro passengers paid the same fare as the white passengers, but the Negro passengers did not get the same treatment or service.
We believe that most people agree that the Negro citizens of Tallahassee should be free like the white citizens of Tallahassee, to determine for themselves whether they wish to ride the buses, and pay for the things that they do not get. Our concern is for the well being of all of the people of Tallahassee, as of today, we have
not heard of the police coming to the homes of Tallahassee’s white citizens, and taking them to the police station, to have police officials question them as to their intentions to ride the buses.
Believing that you as a citizen of Tallahassee, and as a public official have an interest in the welfare of all of the people of Tallahassee both white and colored, we feel sure that you will not want to see the rights of Tallahassee’s Negro citizen violated, because, they like a very large number of Tallahassee’s white citizens are not riding the buses.
Very truly yours, for a better and a more prosperous Tallahassee for all of the people, both white and colored.
The Inter Civic [sic] Council of Tallahassee
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